Inner tube



Patented Dec. l?, llQZg.,

raamt vn.' n nssnnn, or linnen, onro.

NNE?, TUBE.

fr lieaton led. November 1*? 19M. Serial No. 338 5%.

Pp i i To all whom t may concer/n.' y i y Be it l-:nown that l, FRANK E. Bassum, a 'citizen of the kUnited States, .residing vat Akron, in the county of Sunimitand State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful lnner rlube, of which the Afollowing. is a specification. y l rlhis invention relates to improvements in inner tubes for tires, the `object of the ii vention being yto provide an improved spring tube that is adapted to take'the place `of the ordinaiyiiiatable tube. y

A. further object of the invention is to provide a'. spring inner tube'of the class described, .the spring being ,formed of a .plurality of sections which may 'befindiu vidually removed and, replaced withoutthe necessity of .'removingthe entire spring.`

`A further object of the-invention is to provide improved means for controlling the expansion and contractionofthe spring.

...With the foregoing aiid'other objects in view`which will appear as the description proce,eds,the invention consistsvin the novel y isting between the ends features of construction and combinationof parts whichy will be morev fullydescribed hereinafterand particularlyvpointed out `in the clainfi. l i p ln thedrawings accompanying and forining part 'of thisspecification,Y v

Figure l ista longitudinal section of aportion of a wheel illustrating the application ofthe present improved tire thereto;

Figure 2 is a cross section thereof, taken on the line 2 2 of Figure l; v Figure 3 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the means for controlling the e2;-I pansion and contraction of the spring;

Figure. l is a fragmentary View of a fabric member that is interposed between the inner tube and the casing of the tire;

Figure 5 is a fragmental sideelevation, partly in section, showing the abutting ends of the bands and Figure 6 isa plan, partly inv section, showing' the relative relation ei;-

of theparts of the bands. Y n

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates the felly of a wheeh'wliich is provided with the usual cliiicher rim 3 for attachment of the tire casing e. i y

The inner tube in the present instance comprises a plurality of members 5 formed of spring steel, each disposed at an acute angle to the axis of the tire, as shown in Figure lp For maintaining the vspring .three parts 20G havingabuttingends100 keach-end carrying a pin lOl receivedremovablyin a recess lOg in the other of said ends. f lhekabutting ends of the parte 200 members members 5 in position,A l provide a pair of annular ksteelyybands 6 extending circumferentially of the wheel, saidbandsprefkerably having both sidesthei'eof of convex form.- Each band may be divided into of the bands at opposite sides of the tire are disposed in alternating order as shown in Figure (i, this construction .Y facilitating the asseinblingy of the device. The spring of openings each endithereofpand these openings vare, adapted to register, with a. pairof openings in theba-nd 6 for. thefpassage ofsplit fastenig devices-"`in thatyare providedwithenlarged heads,` shown in dotted lines? in Figure' for 'engaging.the springmembeis y5, saidk fastening devices being, 'turned over `at theinner ends on the bands 6, as clearly shown in Figures landQ. U 4 '1 iior controlling the expansion and retraction ofthe tube,l have provideda plurality of transversely extendinoy shafts 8, each of which is threaded Vitsopposite ends with 1 l rightland left hand threads respectively, and the bands@ provided with tlir ed openingsA for Aengagementwith such threaded ends, so that when the shafts are rotated,the bandsv willbe drawn inwardly `rtoward each othervor ,pushedoutwardly away from each other, according to the direction of rotation ofthe shafts, thereby expanding or contracting the tube.

is secured 'to each of such shafts approximately at the middle rof itslengtln-k overv whichr passes an endless chain l0, whereb onthe rotation of one shaftk all ofthe re? mainingshafts will be rotated. This arrangement is shown diagrammatically in Figure There may be nine of thesek sprocket wheels7 three being carried by each .pair of the parts 200 of the bands. @ne of the sprocket wheels 9 is provided with an kenlarged hub, on one rside of which is formed a bevel gear ll. An approximately U- shaped bracket 19 is provided with anvopentact with the opposite sides of the hub of the sprocket Wheel 9. The horizontal porkare eachk brovidedwith a pair` Y For rotating the shafts 8., a sprocket wheel 9 ies.

tion of the U-shaped member or bracket is provided with an opening` adapted to form a bearing tor a stem 13. carrying atl its inner end a bevel pinion le meshing` with the bevel gear 1l. It will thus be seen that -by winding the stem 13 the bevel gear ll will be rotated, and by means of the sprocket and chain connection all ot the shafts 8 will be rotaterh thereby screwing the ends ot the shafts into the openings in the bands 6 or withdrawing them therefrom, so that said bands and the springmembers 5, the ends oi which are secured to the bands, are drawn inwardly to contractthe tube or vforced outwardly to' expand the same, Thev stem 13 projects through a tube 15, which tixbeis screwed into the rim 3 and projects kthrough the telly 2 in a manner similar to .the casing` by such members, but serves tok keep water out of the innerctube in case the casing isv detective.` i

YFrom the foregoing` it will be seen that because of the fact that the` spring members are disposed at an acute angle to the axis ot the tire these members are longer than ii' they were disposed in a plane at right angles to the axis of the tire, thus producing a more resilient tire as well as formingr a brace for the whole inside of the tube that will distribute-the pressure equally around the wheel. It will also be seen that in case of the breakage or distortion of any of the.

bands 6, which are supported against such blows by the shafts 8.

ililhile l have ydescribed in detail the structure herein illustrated, it is to be understood that l do not thereby limit my invention to the precise features shown, as l am aware that many mechanical changes may be made therein without departing 'tromthe spirit land scope of the invention as set forth inthe appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is y y ln a device or the class described, a tubular resilient member` embodying' circumferentialbands and transverse spring strips secured to .the bands, screws having their ends threaded in opposite directions vcirectiy into the bands and housed therein, means for transmitting motion .from screw to screw, a `U-shaped bracketmounted on one screw, a sha't't journaled in `the base portion ot the bracket, and beveled pinions connecting; the shaft and) said screw, both Iot `the'pinionsbeing located within the bracket,

and being; held mesh thereby.

in `testimony that claim the foregoing,y

as my own, I have hereto aHiXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANlfy BESSLER.

"llitucsses Aires H, ENGLnmioK, IRENE CHEYNEY. 

